P: Are any of you Animal Liberation Front supporters?

A: If I was you, I wouldn't talk about supporting the ALF, it's just something you don't talk about.

C: What exactly IS ALF?...and why wouldn't someone want to talk about it...?.........just wondering.

B: Hey, I don't know how to work this, moderator, but I want everyone to know what the ALF is.

ALF = Animal Liberation Front

The ALF's goals are:
To liberate animals from places of abuse, ie laboratories, factory farms, fur farms, etc, and or whenever possible, place them in good homes where they may live out their natural lives, free from suffering.

To inflict economic damage to those who profit from the misery and exploitation of animals.

To reveal the horror and atrocities committed against animals behind locked doors, by performing non-violent direct actions and liberations.

To take all necessary precautions against harming any animal, human and non-human.

ANY INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VEGETARIANS OR VEGANS AND WHO CARRY OUT ACTIONS ACCORDING TO THE ALF GUIDELINES HAVE THE RIGHT TO REGARD THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT.

I support the ALF to the fullest extent. Direct action is the only way to be sure the animals will suffer no longer.

M: ALF is the Animal Liberation Front. It's just a group that does legal and illegal things to free animals. Freedom for animals will be achieved by any means necessary. They have just caused a lot of damage and trouble in a lot of areas.

M: I also support them

K: Sorry you guys, but I'm a vegan, and I do think animals should have rights and all of that stuff...but aren't the people that break laws to free animals and stuff the people that give vegetarians and vegans a bad name? I don't have anything against them, I'm all for giving animals freedom and stuff...but...ya know...whenever I tell people I'm vegan they almost always associate me with the people that end up on the news for doing stuff like that, and they're completely weirded out...

Animals: I agree with Alf and with XterminateX. Direct action DOES help more than a lot of other methods. As long as no one gets hurt, it's all good. ALF has done more than just cause damage. They have helped free animals!

B: To whomever was refuting the ALF GUIDELINES:
You mentioned popularity i.e. "causing economic damage doesn't make the animal rights scene very popular." This is something I often think about that since attending huge conferences like AR2004. I can't really put my thoughts on this subject into words, but I'll attempt to.

Animal Rights is so huge now, it's become a federation, and there's so many worries within the movement, we are getting away from our initial goal. Ending the abuse of our fellow animals is that goal. As far as popularity goes, I'd say direct action is a better way to achieve our goal.

Hey K- I have a cure for your problem.

"whenever I tell people I'm vegan the almost always associate me with the people that end up on the news for doing stuff like that and they're completely weirded out..."

People will associate, judge, discriminate, and think what they please about what you say, no matter what it is. Often, they're judgments are based on ignorance, so you must educate!!

R: You mentioned popularity: "causing economic damage doesn't make the animal rights scene very popular."

Its not necessarily the sense of "popularity" per se that concerns me but rather the whole image of Animal Rights (AR) overall. There are still too many out there (the uniformed ones, yes, but they are the ones we should be trying to reach out and educate rather than alienate them by some of our actions) who see the whole thing as a guerilla movement, operating outside the law, despite the fact that only a small margin actually does. It can hurt our credibility, as I said. Thankfully, this misconception is not so prevalent as it once was. The movement is indeed gaining more acceptance, and quite happily, it's now socially acceptable to be vegetarian/vegan.

>>we are getting away from our initial goal.

I'd agree with that. It's one of my concerns too. Some groups make their campaigns such a media event that it's as if they were seeking publicity rather than an end to suffering. But that's another issue altogether.

>>I'd say direct action is a better way to achieve our goal.

Yes, but I think there is a limit to how far certain direct action is beneficial. We have to be careful that our actions do not drown out our message. The misinformed know all too much about the imposed property/economic damages but not what we stand for.

Direct action can end suffering of the animals that are put through that hell now, but the real key for fulfilling the long term goal is education. Forcing the institutions that exploit animals out of business through economic damage will not end suffering permanently nor completely, but rather, it's the educated and compassionate citizen who will bring them to their end by refusing to let their money support those industries. It's by first trying to change public opinion and attitude that I think we can achieve the most success for the animals overall (though this is not to say that efforts to end suffering in the short-term are futile or unnecessary, of course).

L: warning about ALF site: turn off your speakers, they play elevator music.

P: Aww naw I love the music they play on the alf site! It's hardcore man lol

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